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Some people love tent camping. They enjoy sleeping on the ground, being one with nature, and having a simple setup.
However, some campers love the idea of simplicity and leaving a small carbon footprint but don’t want to sleep in a tent. If that’s you, let us introduce the Hitch Hotel.
This expandable trailer weighs less than 1,000 pounds and provides comfortable sleeping space for two adults. Are you ready to learn more? Let’s dive in!
What Is the Hitch Hotel?
This trailer has an innovative design to help practically anyone stop anywhere and sleep out of their car. According to the website, the Hitch Hotel is “the world’s first anytime, anywhere hotel room for anyone with a car and a few feet of storage space.”
You might consider this option if you don’t like sleeping on the ground but don’t want to spend tens of thousands of dollars on an RV.
The trailer expands from less than 3.5 feet to 7 feet to form a simple room where two adults can comfortably sleep. It’s like a hard-shelled nesting trailer that allows you to drive anywhere to spend the night. Plus, it’s environmentally friendly since it has no hook-ups or emissions.
How Did the Hitch Hotel Begin?
A father and son were traveling in California when they noticed a crowded campground, spurring a conversation about RVs’ cost, maintenance, and carbon footprint.
They also wondered where people have room to store these large RVs. So the duo started thinking about the alternatives and realized there weren’t many.
Pitching a tent may be ideal for some adventurers, but others would prefer not to sleep on the ground.
So the idea for a small, towable, stow-able trailer was born. This father-and-son pair started building the first Hitch Hotel when they got home. They focused on designing a trailer that would protect gear while being small enough to store in a garage.
Today, Hitch Hotel manufactures a standard option and a premium option to suit the needs of adventurers who enjoy hitting the road but don’t want to spend the money on an RV and want to be more environmentally friendly.
How Does the Hitch Hotel Work?
So how does the Hitch Hotel work? To hitch up the trailer, first, pull out all of the safety pins in the tow bar so you can lower it. Then put them all back in.
Release the jack stand and crank it clockwise until the wheel touches the ground, but the legs lift off the ground. Fold up both stabilizers.
Now you can open the Hitch Hotel. Get out the storage box and secure it on the front of the trailer. Then connect the trailer to your vehicle by cranking the jack counterclockwise to lower the tow bar.
Next, raise the jack stand and secure the hitch connection. Finally, plug in the safety lights and car connections. Now, you’re ready to go!
But how does the Hitch Hotel expand once you arrive at your overnight location? First, extend and lower the rear stabilizer. Now you can open the trailer, pull the locking pins, and expand the first stage.
The trailer has a stabilizing release pin underneath that will lower a set of frame-stabilizing legs on wheels. Drop the leg extensions until they hit the ground and secure the pins.
Now you can pull the remaining stages out of the trailer. Once you fully extend it, lock the casters on all four legs. Go inside and set the floor latches.
You can lock and leave it for a few hours of hiking or climb in and catch some zzzs.
What Is the Standard Hitch Hotel?
The Hitch Hotel standard trailer has everything you need to comfortably sleep wherever you end up parking for the night.
The company also offers financing options with no prepayment penalty, competitive rates, terms up to 120 months, credit scores as low as 600, and a down payment of as little as 10%. Let’s look at more details.
Specs
The dry weight of the standard Hitch Hotel is 950 pounds, with a capacity of up to 1,800 pounds. It measures 72 by 72 inches, with a total cabin length when fully expanded of 7 feet 2 inches. When you retract it, it returns to only 42 inches long.
The lightweight design makes this an option for almost any adventurer with any vehicle. Plus, it doesn’t take up much storage space when you get home.
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Features
The standard Hitch Hotel has a 12-Volt 60AH lithium battery, a rotating tow bar, and an open storage box. It also has dual pane windows with screens and blinds, a hard-sided exterior, 10-inch black stealth wheels, and radial tires.
Inside, it comes with dual USB charging ports, a dual-direction roof fan with LED lighting, padded flooring, an entry mat, multiple D-ring tie-downs, a foam-backed marine canvas interior, and a dual-sided locking entry door.
Cost
The starting cost for the standard unit starts at $9,800 plus shipping. The estimated shipping cost to the West Coast costs $400, while the estimated shipping cost to the East Coast costs $700.
However, you can add features on like a lithium battery, battery-powered A/C system, diesel-powered heat system, removable bike rack, roof rack, memory foam mattress, or storage cover.
The premium Hitch Hotel offers some upgrades not found in the standard unit. But it has the same financing options available. A $1,000 deposit is required to reserve either the standard or premium Hitch Hotel.
Specs
The measurements and frame assembly for the premium Hitch Hotel are the same as the standard model. Each has galvanized, powder-coated aluminum and axles rated at 1,800 pounds with independent torsion.
The 2-inch detachable coupler/ball is standard for almost any vehicle. Every unit also comes with a seven-pin connector with LED lights.
Features
The upgraded features of the premium Hitch Hotel include a locking and removable storage box rather than an open one, a 12-Volt 100AH lithium battery rather than a 60AH one, and a solar-compatible heater and A/C system. It also has a power closing system, alloy wheels, a storage cover, and bike or roof rack adaptors.
All of the other features of the standard model come included like the dual pane windows with screens and blinds, padded flooring, entry mat, and multiple D-ring tie-downs.
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Cost
The starting cost of the premium Hitch Hotel is $12,500, with the same estimated shipping costs as the standard trailer.
And you can add upgrades like a memory foam mattress, battery-powered A/C system, or diesel-powered heat system.
What Are the Advantages of the Hitch Hotel?
The appeal of the Hitch Hotel is the size. It’s lightweight so that almost any vehicle can tow it, and it’s small when it’s retracted so that most owners can store it without problems. You don’t have to pay a storage fee as many RV owners do. The Hitch Hotels can fit in your garage.
The design is also simple and easy to operate. There’s plenty of room to sleep, which is all owners need. You can drive to the beginning of a trailhead, hike for a few hours, catch a beautiful sunset, and then set up the Hitch Hotel to enjoy a comfortable night’s sleep.
You don’t have to book a campsite. Just make sure overnight parking is permitted wherever you park.
What Are the Disadvantages of the Hitch Hotel?
However, the advantages of the Hitch Hotel will also be disadvantages for some people. It can only sleep up to two adults. It won’t have enough room for a family. The interior space allows you to sit but not stand. So some people may feel a bit claustrophobic in such a tiny space.
There are also a lot of moving parts. Any time a trailer has multiple pieces, you increase the risk of something breaking or not functioning correctly.
Although it’s all manual, so you won’t have any mechanical failures, something could happen to one of the stages, stabilizer legs, or another part of the unit.
Who Is the Hitch Hotel Good For?
The Hitch Hotel is designed for people who want to leave a smaller footprint but don’t want to tent camp. It’s like a tent glamping option for adventurers. Instead of sleeping on the ground, you can sleep in a safe, enclosed space.
As mentioned earlier, it’s not ideal for families but for solo adventures or couples. If you’re looking for something small that will comfortably accommodate a sleeping space for two adults, this small expandable trailer may be an innovative product designed for you!
Is the Hitch Hotel a good solution for your camping lifestyle?
